Shielded reaction sprinkler

ABSTRACT

A sprinkler or lawn spray of the reaction type has a flexible shield cooperating with a guide channel to direct the water emerging from the jet of the spray body in the desired direction and dispersal pattern. The shield may be of a flexible material or may be flexibly mounted to either the reaction arm or the spray body to preclude droplet distribution in a direction normal to the emerging stream from the spray jet. The shield is mounted either to the reaction arm or to the oscillating body of the spray. The stream guide channel may be open or closed and has an emerging reaction surface against which the jet stream impinges.

United States Patent [1 1 Apri SHIELDED REACTION SPRINKLER [76]inventor: Edward W. Aprl, 998 Lehigh St.,

Altadena, Calif. 91001 [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 185,697

[52] U.S. Cl 239/229, 239/222.17, 239/230,

239/231, 239/502, 239/505, 239/516 [51] Int. Cl B05b 3/16 [58] Field ofSearch 239/120, 121, 122

[ 1 3,746,259 [451 July 17,1973

7/1968 Cooney 239/233 X ABSTRACT A sprinkler or lawn spray of thereaction type has a flexible shield cooperating with a guide channel todirect the water emerging from the jet of the spray body in the desireddirection and dispersal pattern. The shield may be of a flexiblematerial or may be flexibly mounted to either the reaction arm or thespray body to preclude droplet distribution in a direction normal to theemerging stream from the spray jet The shield is mounted either to thereaction arm or to the oscillating body of the spray. The stream guidechannel may be open or closed and has an emerging reaction surfaceagainst which the jet stream impinges.

16 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures Patented July 17, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Patented July 17, 1973 3,746,259

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5A WWII! KL r52 Patented July 17, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 5SHIELDED REACTION SPRINKLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates to overhead sprays or sprinklers typified by those shown in U.S.Pat. No. 2,980,34l and others. Such sprinklers utilize a springloadedreaction arm which is activated by the emerging water stream toreciprocate about a pivot and impact against a spray body whichoscillates to change the direction of the jet stream. The jet streamforces the reaction arm into impact against the body to move it in anare or in a circle, depending upon the settings of controls on theoscillating body stem. Conventionally, the movement of the reaction arminterrupts the stream to deflect a portion of the emerging water in alocal spray in the immediate area of the spray head. Water pressure andjet apertures are variable and the pattern of the local spray dropletsis random and often results in wetting areas which it is desirable toretain dry. Previous attempts to solve the problem have led to apparatusto circumscribe the spray head with apertured boxes or shields plantedin the ground adjacent the spray head, or conduits on the reaction arm.

I have invented apparatus which attaches to the spray head and not onlyachieves a more precisely defined remote stream but also precludesunneeded spraying of areas adjacent the sprinkler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention contemplates an overhead sprayhead of the reaction type wherein the conventional spray head body andcontrol mechanism is combined with a directional channel attached to thereaction arm. Preferably the channel has an offset portion and astraight portion. A resilient shield or well, which may be carried bythe reaction arm or by the oscillating spray body, cooperates with thechannel. The guide channel has a lip or reaction surface at its emergentend such that the stream from the conventional spray jet causes thereaction arm to move against its conventional springloading. The shieldis preferably of a flexible material rigidly mounted to the body or tothe reaction arm. When the shield is mounted to the reaction arm areaction lip preferably terminates the shield remote from the stream.Alternatively, the shield may be of a substantially rigid materialsecured to the spray head by flexible or resilient means.

In one embodiment of the invention the shield comprises a plurality oflayers of laminar material. Each successive layer is larger in area thanthe previous layer, such that the layer largest in area is more remotefrom the emerging jet stream, and each layer may differ from the othersin perimeter configuration.

The spray or sprinkler of the invention utilizes conventional parts andconventional materials to achieve an easily fabricated device whichprecisely directs the water stream and inhibits random distribution ofwater in the vicinity of the spray head.

These and other advantages of the invention are apparent from thefollowing detailed description and drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of anembodiment of the invention wherein the guide channel is attached to thereaction arm;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 each illustrate a transverse section of an alternateembodiment of the spray head, said sections each being taken along aline similar to the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a further alternate embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a further alternate embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 9, partly in section;and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a further alternate embodiment.

In the various Figures, like numerals are used for like parts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In all of the embodiments theconventional parts of the spray body are shown schematically, theoperation of oscillating sprinklers being well known. For instance, theembodiment of FIG. 1 shows that conventional oscillating spray body 11moves about with hollow shaft 12 in a threaded sleeve 13 which is joinedto the water distribution system (not shown The sleeve carries motionlimit bands 14 and the body carries a contact arm 15 and a schematicallyshown reversing bracket 16.

The reaction arm 19 is conventionally springloaded by a spring 21. InFIG. I the arm carries a unique guide channel 22 across the water streamindicated by the line 23 in FIG. 2, which emerges from a conventionalspray jet 24.

All of the above described components except for the guide channel areconventional. Channel 22 is supported from a forward portion 19B of thereaction arm and comprises a planar side wall 26 and a concave side wall27 ending in horizontal upper and lower portions 28, 29, respectively.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, when the spray jet and the channel inlet 30are aligned the guide channel diverges outwardly from the path 23 of thejet stream which emerges from spray jet 24. Both channel walls 26 and 27curve horizontally away from their attachement to the reaction arm andthen extend in straight portions tangent to the curves away from thespray head.

A transverse lip 31 at the outer end of wall 27 serves as a reactionsurface intercepting the water stream which is guided by the channel asit emerges from the jet 24 when the reaction arm 19 is in the positionof FIG.'2. The lip 31 also acts as a diverter and may have a varyingangle to the line of the jet stream, depending upon the desired waterdistribution pattern.

The guide channel is impinged upon by the jet stream to move thereaction arm about its pivot pin 33 to be returned by spring 21 inconventional fashion, the reaction arm engaging a conventional stop 34extending from the jet 24, to impel spray body 11 arcuately withinsleeve 12. I

One function of the guide channel is to preclude random dispersal ofwater in the immediate vicinity of the spray body. When the reaction armis removed from the path of the spray jet 24 projects a long straightstream to a remote location. As the guide channel intercepts the jetstream a localized distribution of water is caused, followed immediatelyby an intermediate distribution as the channel aligns with the jet. Thepattern of distribution depends upon the angle of the channel to thestream and the angle of lip 31 to the stream emerging from the channel.These angles may vary from 5 to 30 and from to 60, respectively. Thearea covered by the resultant spray is regulated in usual fashion by thepreviously mentioned limit bands and brackets on the spray body.

The apparatus of FIG. 1 delivers a well distributed water spray andlimits the amount of water randomly distributed in the immediate area ofthe spray head, since almost all of the stream emerging from the jet isguided by the channel outwardly from the head when the channel and jetare aligned. The embodiments of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 have similaradvantages. in FIG. 4 guide channel 41 has a side wall 42 and upper andlower walls 43, 44, respectively. Side wall 42 terminates away from thespray jet 24 (not shown) in a reaction surface 46 similar to the lip 31of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The channel is open at one side but angledfrom its attachment to the reaction arm so that the stream is guided bythe three walls 42, 43, and 44.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 is similar to that of FIG. 1 except that thechannel 48 is defined by a single wall 49 curving in a vertical plane toform a channel open in a vertical plane and ending in a reaction lip 50.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 illustrates that a channel of two mutuallynormal straight sides 51, 52 and a lip 53 may define a guide channel 54which operates with facility to fulfill the object of the invention awellordered spray minimized inthe immediate area of the spray head. Allof the channels of the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6 may be contoured in themanner of the embodiment of FIG. 1, diverging from the path of the jetstream when the near end of the channel is aligned with the jet.

Some local spray is still encountered whenthe reaction arm passes acrossthe stream until the arm carrying the channel and the jet are insubstantial alignment. A preferred form of the invention thereforecomprises a guide channel and a deflector shield adjacent the spray jet.The shield may be carried by either the spray body or by the reactionarm. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 a multilayered shield 61 extends from astem 62 of the spray jet 64 in the spray body 11. As can be seen fromFIG. 8, each of the laminates 65, 66, 67 of the shield is slightlyconcave and spaced from the adjacent laminate by separators 68. Stem 62is bent and a mounting screw 69 passes through each of the offsetportions of the stem to secure the shield to the stern.

It has been found that a flexible shield results in a more uniformpattern of distribution and appears to give no interference with thenormal oscillation of the sprinkler spray body. FIGS. 7 and 8 show oneform of the flexible shield wherein the screws 69 combine withcompression springs 71, 72 to give freedom to the laminates of theshield to flex with respect to the stern.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the reaction arm 74 is a conventional onehaving an apertured end 75 with offset segments which divert the streamfrom the spray jet when the jet and arm align as shown in FIG. 8. Thestream is deflected by curving end 77 of the reaction arm inconventional fashion. However, the stream is again deflected by theshield in that region of the stream that normally wets the areaimmediately about the spray head. Water is saved and areas like walkwaysare not soaked.

The shield of the embodiment of FIG. 7 has corner areas trimmed fromlaminates 6S and 66 to achieve desired distribution patterns, it beingobvious that the laminates may take various shapes to accomplish variousspray patterns as the water from the reaction arm deflects upon theshield to be redirected.

As mentioned, the shield may be secured eitherto the reaction arm or tothe spray body. Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 7, where the shield isbody-mounted, the shield of FIG. 9 is arm-mounted. In that Figure aspray 81 has conventional oscillating spray parts, including a spraybody 11 and a reaction arm 83. The arm carries a fan-shaped shield 85secured to the arm by a screw and nut assembly 87 and spaced from thearm by a sleeve 88 around the screw. The arm also carries a guidechannel 89. The arm, shield and guide channel oscillate as a unit inresponse to the jet stream and the bias of the spring 21.

The shield of FIG. 7 was flexibly mounted. The shield 85 of FIG. 9 ismade from a flexible material, such as thin metal or plastic. A sheet ofpolyethylene has been found to suit the shield requirementssatisfactorily, and is capable of permanent deformation so that a flangeor lip 91 may be formed on the outeredgeof the shield. The flangeaffords a reaction surface to impel the arm against the force of, spring21 so that the arm may impact the spray body and turn it within thelimits set by the band circles 14.

The guide channel is defined by a tube with an open end 93. The tube hasa planar wall 94 which extends downstream beyond the end of a curvingwall 95. The curving wall guides part of the stream flow into contactwith the protruding portion 98 of the wall 94 such that portion 98 actsas a reaction surface to impel the reaction arm contra to the bias ofspring 21 in the manner needed to create an impulse to oscillate spraybody 1 l, supplementing the action of the shield.

It may be desired to change the water path from the guide channel to theshield, or the .water discharge angle from the guide channel. Somesprinklers may be moved from one place to another and be required toaccommodate differing areas. Therefore, the invention includes means forvarying the attitude of a reaction surface to the water stream or pathas desired. In FIG. 11 is an alternate embodiment of the inventioncomprising a sprinkler 101 similar to those previously described. Areaction arm 19 has a carrier portion 198 from which a guide channel 22Ais supported. Channel 22A has a vertical wall 26A and a curving wall 27that merge downstream in a cylindrical neck 102. A channel continuationportion 104 has a cylindrical collar 106 which expands into a channelconfiguration similar to that shown in FIG. 3. The collar 106 rotates onthe neck 102 to change the attitude of a reaction surface 31A on theoutlet 107 of the guide channel portion 104, so that the surface may berotated either direction between position 31A and dotted position 313.

While a cylindrical neck is shown, the invention does not precludetriangular, hexagonal or other regular matching configurations for neckand collar to register the reaction surface attitude adjustably aboutthe water path axis. The ultimate water pattern may thus easily bealtered.

The flexible shield combines with the guide channel to afford a waterspray with a good distance throw in a desired pattern, a thoroughintermediate water pattern and a local distribution free from annoyingoverwetting immediately adjacent the spray head. While the embodimentsdisclosed herein vary in combination, each is capable of performing asan oscillating spray of controlled pattern.

Other variations within the scope of the invention will occur to thoseskilled in this particular art, and it is therefore desired that theinvention be measured by the appended claims rather than by the merelyillustrative embodiments disclosed herein.

I claim:

1. in a reaction sprinkler having a spray body with a water spray jetand a springloaded reaction arm moving responsive to the water from thejet to impact the body to rotate said body and jet, the combinationcomprising a water guide channel with entry and discharge ports andsecured to the sprinkler reaction arm; said channel having one guidewall at an angle to the water path from the jet and another guide wallat an angle to the first wall; a reaction surface at the discharge endof the guide channel at an angle thereto in the path of the waterstream; a flexible shield secured to the sprinkler adjacent thedischarge port of the guide channel, said shield being resilientlyflexible in a direction normal to the path of the stream from the sprayjet.

2. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield is securedto the spray body.

3. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield is securedto the reaction arm.

4. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield comprises asheet, and flexible means securing the sheet to the sprinkler to flexresiliently therefrom away from and toward the path of the water stream.

5. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 4 wherein the flexible meanscomprises a pair of threaded fasteners engaged in the sprinkler, anspring means biasing the sheet toward the sprinkler.

6. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 4 further comprising second andthird sheets, and spacers between the adjacent sheets, said second andthird sheets differing in peripheral configuration from the first sheetand from each other.

7. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield comprises aresiliently flexible sheet secured to the spray body.

8. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield comprises aflexible sheet secured to the reaction arm.

9. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield furthercomprises a first section secured to the reaction arm, a second sectionextending from the first at an obtuse angle thereto and a third reactionsurface extending from the second section at an angle thereto.

10. A shield to prevent random spray from a sprinkle of the reactiontype having a spray body with a water spray jet and a springloadedreaction arm moving responsive to the water impact from the water jet toin turn impact the spray body to rotate said body and jet, said reactionarm having a guide section intercepting the water stream from the jetwith each rotational impulse, said shield comprising a shaped sheetsecured to the sprinkler adjacent the water jet and extending from thesprinkler downstream from the water jet and to one side thereof, saidsheet being resiliently flexible with respect to the path of the waterjet.

11. A shield in accordance with claim 10 secured to the reaction arm,and further comprising a reaction surface at an angle to the sheet andthe water stream path.

12. A shield in accordance with claim 11 wherein the angle to the sheetis between five and fifty degrees.

13. A shield in accordance with claim 10 wherein the shield comprises asheet, and resiliently flexible means securing the sheet to thesprinkler to flex therefrom away from and toward the path of the waterstream.

14. A shield in accordance with claim 13 wherein the flexible meanscomprises a pair of threaded fasteners engaged in the sprinkler, andspring biasing means loading the sheet toward the sprinkler.

15. A shield in accordance with claim 13 further comprising second andthird sheets, and spacers between the adjacent sheets, said second andthird sheets differing in peripheral configuration from the first sheetand from each other.

16. A shield in accordance with claim 10 wherein the shield comprises aflexible sheet secured to the reaction arm, said sheet having a firstsection secured to the arm, a second section extending from the first atan obtuse angle thereto, and a third reaction section extending from thesecond section at an angle thereto.

1. In a reaction sprinkler having a spray body with a water spray jetand a springloaded reaction arm moving responsive to the water from thejet to impact the body to rotate said body and jet, the combinationcomprising a water guide channel with entry and discharge ports andsecured to the sprinkler reaction arm; said channel having one guidewall at an angle to the water path from the jet and another guide wallat an angle to the first wall; a reaction surface at the discharge endof the guide channel at an angle thereto in the path of the waterstream; a flexible shield secured to the sprinkler adjacent thedischarge port of the guide channel, said shield being resilientlyflexible in a direction normal to the path of the stream from the sprayjet.
 2. A sprinkler in accordAnce with claim 1 wherein the shield issecured to the spray body.
 3. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1wherein the shield is secured to the reaction arm.
 4. A sprinkler inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the shield comprises a sheet, andflexible means securing the sheet to the sprinkler to flex resilientlytherefrom away from and toward the path of the water stream.
 5. Asprinkler in accordance with claim 4 wherein the flexible meanscomprises a pair of threaded fasteners engaged in the sprinkler, anspring means biasing the sheet toward the sprinkler.
 6. A sprinkler inaccordance with claim 4 further comprising second and third sheets, andspacers between the adjacent sheets, said second and third sheetsdiffering in peripheral configuration from the first sheet and from eachother.
 7. A sprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shieldcomprises a resiliently flexible sheet secured to the spray body.
 8. Asprinkler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the shield comprises aflexible sheet secured to the reaction arm.
 9. A sprinkler in accordancewith claim 1 wherein the shield further comprises a first sectionsecured to the reaction arm, a second section extending from the firstat an obtuse angle thereto and a third reaction surface extending fromthe second section at an angle thereto.
 10. A shield to prevent randomspray from a sprinkle of the reaction type having a spray body with awater spray jet and a springloaded reaction arm moving responsive to thewater impact from the water jet to in turn impact the spray body torotate said body and jet, said reaction arm having a guide sectionintercepting the water stream from the jet with each rotational impulse,said shield comprising a shaped sheet secured to the sprinkler adjacentthe water jet and extending from the sprinkler downstream from the waterjet and to one side thereof, said sheet being resiliently flexible withrespect to the path of the water jet.
 11. A shield in accordance withclaim 10 secured to the reaction arm, and further comprising a reactionsurface at an angle to the sheet and the water stream path.
 12. A shieldin accordance with claim 11 wherein the angle to the sheet is betweenfive and fifty degrees.
 13. A shield in accordance with claim 10 whereinthe shield comprises a sheet, and resiliently flexible means securingthe sheet to the sprinkler to flex therefrom away from and toward thepath of the water stream.
 14. A shield in accordance with claim 13wherein the flexible means comprises a pair of threaded fastenersengaged in the sprinkler, and spring biasing means loading the sheettoward the sprinkler.
 15. A shield in accordance with claim 13 furthercomprising second and third sheets, and spacers between the adjacentsheets, said second and third sheets differing in peripheralconfiguration from the first sheet and from each other.
 16. A shield inaccordance with claim 10 wherein the shield comprises a flexible sheetsecured to the reaction arm, said sheet having a first section securedto the arm, a second section extending from the first at an obtuse anglethereto, and a third reaction section extending from the second sectionat an angle thereto.